Air conditioner



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. L. MILLER AIR CONDITIONER April 25, 1961 Filed NOV. 20, 1957 April 25, 1961 J. l.. MILLER 2,981,083

AIR CONDITIONER Filed Nov. 2o, 1957 v 2 sheets-sheet 2 'nited States Patent O AIR CONDITIONER James L. Miller, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 20, 1957, Ser. No. 697,576

7 Claims. (Cl. 62-428) This invention pertains to refrigerating apparatus and especially to compact air conditioning units for residences and small commercial spaces.

Although air conditioning an entire residence is much 2 This angular arrangement of the coil 32 makes it possible to provide an alternate indoor room air inlet in the bottom of the cabinet beneath the indoor coil 32. The'col more satisfactory than having window conditioners for the diferent rooms thereof, the sales of central air conditioners for entire residences have been comparatively small.

It is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive, compact air conditioning unit which can conveniently and inexpensively be installedin a small existing closet, utility room or basement in a residence.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved reversible refrigerating system in which reversing is controlled by small pilot valves.

It is another object to arrange multiple blowers and motors in such a way in an air conditioning cabinet that they will take less space and yet be accessible.

These and other objects are attained in the form shown in the drawings in which there is provided a 21/z-ton reversible refrigerating system within a box-shaped cabinet measuring 22 x 27 x 37 for summer and winter air conditioning. Thin refrigerant coils are placed on the opposite faces of this cabinet. Two centrifugal blowers driven by a single motor beneath are provided on each side of the partition wall having a diagonal portion. The blowers draw the air through the coils and discharge upwardly into four separate ducts carrying the air either outside or to the rooms of the house.

A simple piston type reversing valve is controlled by two electrically operated three-way valves connecting the opposite ends of the piston to the supply and suction connections of the compressor for accomplishing reverse cycle operation.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation, with the foremost side removed, of an air conditioner embodying one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a top view, with the'top face removed, of the air conditioner shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the reversible refrigerating system;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the reversing valve shown in Figure 3 in the opposite position; and

Figure 5 is a detailed view of one of the three-way valves shown in the opposite position from the position shown in Fig. 3.

, Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, the cabinet is shown on the face 22 measuring 27". The outdoor air inlet 24 and the indoor air inlet 26 are provided in the side faces 27 and 28. Within the outdoor'air inlet 24 is a thin vertical outdoor coil 30 of the pin iin type. The indoor air coil 32 is provided on the opposite side at an angle about 70 adjacent to the room air inlet 26.

32 is provided with a thin iilter 34 on its lower face. The bottom or base 36 of the cabinet is provided with a condensate collecting basin 38 extending beneath the bottoms of the coils 30 and 32,. The condensate collecting basin 32 discharges through the outlet connection 40 to a suitabledrain.

A Vcompact sealed motor-compressor unit 42 s mounted upon stands or brackets 44 supported on the bottom .36 of the cabinet. It may be of the general type shown in` Patent 2,797,647 issued July 2, 1957. It is provided with suction and4 discharge connections 46 and 48 connected by the supply and return conduits 50 and 52 with a piston type reversing valve 54. The piston type reversing valve 54 also has connections 56 and 58 with the tops of the outdoor coil and the indoor coil 32, respectively. As shown best in Fig. 3 the bottom of the indoor coil 32 connects to a capillary tube restrictor 60 which in turn connects to a second capillary tube restrictor 62 bypassed by a check valve 64 permitting flow from the outdoor coil 30 to the indoor coil 32. The opposite side of the restrictor 62 and the check valve 64 are connected by the conduit 66 to the bottom of the outdoor coil 30. This arrangement makes only the restrictor 60 effective for indoor cooling while both restrictors 60 and 62 are in series for indoor heating.

The cabinet may be installed in a small space such as a closet or a portion of the utility room or garage or basement of a residence or business place. The outdoor air inlet 24- is connected directly by a duct with the outside of the residence or building. Air is drawn through this outdoor air duct and the coil 30 by two centrifugal blowers 68 and 70 located side by side on the same axis and provided with the same drive shaft 72. The drive shaft 72 is provided with a drive pulley 74 driven through a pulley and a belt by the electric motor 76 on a parallel axis. The electric motor is provided with a cradle mounting 78 pivotally connected upon the pivotal connection S0 to the housing of the blower 70. The position of the motor 76 is adjusted to control the tension on the belt by an eye-bolt 82 pivotally connected to the opposite end of the support 78 from the pivot connection 80. This eyefbolt 82 extends through a supporting bracket 84 and is held by a nut 86 which can be readily adjusted by removing the top 88 of the cabinet.

Airis drawn from the interior of the residence or space to be cooled through the inlet 26, the filter 34 and the coil- 32 by two centrifugal blowers 90 and 92 located on the sameaxis and provided with the same drive shaft 94. The drive shaft 94 is provided with a drive pulley 96 which is driven through a pulley and belt by the drive motor 98 located beneath the blower 92. The motor 98 is supported on a bracket 121 pivotally connected by the pivotal connection 123 to the blower housing 92. The opposite end of the mounting 121 is pivotally connected by the eye-bolt 125 to a bracket 127 extending from the housing of the blower 92. Nuts 129 above and below the bracket 127 on the eye-bolt 125 adjust the position of the motor 98 so as to adjust the tightness of the belt. The blowers 90 and 92 are located below and to one side of the blowers 68 and 70. These blowers 90 and 92 are substantially opposite the motor 76 so as to conserve space.

The blowers 68 and 70 have upwardly extending discharge outlets 131 and 133. The blowers 90 and 92 likewise have upwardly extending discharge outlets 135 and 137. These outlets are aligned with each other in a square, compact arrangement to conserve space. The discharge outlets 131 and 133 are connected, when installed, to ducts leading to the outside. The discharge outlets 13S-and 137 are connected to ducts leading to various outlets in various rooms of the residence. Pref,- erably, one of the outlets 135 is connected to the rooms on the side of the house -against which the prevailing wind blows, while the discharge outlet 137 is connected to a duct connecting with the rooms on the opposite side of the house so as to assure uniform distribution in spite of the wind effect. 1f desired, the blowers 135 and 137 could be turned around and redirected so as to discharge laterally through the face 2S of the cabinet. lf desired, the blowers 63 and 70 could likewise be turned and relocated so as to discharge laterally through the face 28. y

The controls may be mounted in a box 139 locatedl between the discharge outlets 135 and 137 and the face 2S. The blowers 68 and 7@ may be supported on the resilient mountings 141 while the blowers 90 and 92 are supported on the resilient mountings 143. The indoor and outdoor air within the cabinet is divided by a partition wall having a vertical upper portion 145 extending from the top S8 downwardly between the two indoor air discharge portions 135 and 137 and the outdoor air blowers 68 and 70. The intermediate portion 147 extends'downwardly on a slant between the motor 76 and the indoor air blowers 9i) and 92. The lower portion1^v9 is vertical and extends-to the bottom or base of the cabinet 36. This partition wall so formed makes it possible to keep the cabinet compact.

The reversing valve 54 makes it possible to use the apparatus for both cooling and heating. This valve 54 includes a piston 151 having end lands 153 and 155 and intermediate lands 157 and 159.V The piston 151 is hollow and has onerset of ports 8 between the lands 15.3 and 157 and a second set of ports 9 between the lands 159 and 155. The piston 151 is slidable withinY the cylinder 160 having its left end connected by a conduit 163 with a three-way pilot valve 165 having a conduit connection 167 with the suction connection 169 to the compressor 42. This suction connection 169 also connects to the connection 171 in the cylinder 160. The third connection of the three-way valve 165 connects through a conduit 173 to a second three-way valve 175 provided with a connection 177 to the discharge vconnection 179 of the compressor 42.

The discharge connection 179 connects to the connection 181 in the-cylinder 160 of the valve 54. `The threeway valve 175 also has a conduit connection 183 to the conduit connection 163. The commonconnection 173 between the two three-way valves is connected by the conduit` connection 185 to the right end of the cylinder 160. The cylinder 160 is :provided with a connection 187 with the-conduit 56 and is so staggered'relative to the connection .171 that when the piston 151 is -to the right, as shown in Fig. 3, connection is provided from the suction connection 171 to the connection 187; Also, when the piston 151 is in this position the discharge connection 181 makes connection with the cylinder connection 189 connecting with the conduit 58. The threeway valves 165 and 175, as positionedin Fig. 3, connect the leftend of the cylinder 160 with the discharge conduit 179 and the right end of the-cylinder 160 with the suction connection 169 to pull the piston to the right.

When the three-way valves 165 and 175 are moved to the position shown in Fig. 5, the connections with the discharge andsuction connections 179 and 169 are reversed so as to pullthe piston `151 to the right within the cylinder 160, as shown -in Fig. 4. This reverses the connections so that the suction conduit 41697is connected through the connections 171 and Y189 with the conduit 58 while the discharge conduit is connected through the connections 181 and 187 with the conduit 56. In this position, the gas between the connections 171 and 181 passes around the mid-portion of the piston 151 between the lands 157 and 159, while the gas flowing between the connections 181 and 187 passes through ports in the piston and through the interior of the piston 151.

Through this arrangement, the reversing valve is controlled through the small three-way pilot valves 165 and 175.

Through this small, compact air conditioning unit, a normal sized residence can be both heated and cooled.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. A compact air conditioning unit including a box shaped cabinet having outdoor and room air inlets in opposite faces of the cabinet, a thin outdoor coil of extensive area located in series with and adjacent to and being substantially coextensive with the outdoor air inlet and an indoor coil located in series with the room air inlet, a compressor and a refrigerant expansion device within the lower portion of said cabinet connecting said coils in operative refrigerant circuit, a set of two axially aligned centrifugal blowers located side by side above said compressor substantially parallel and adjacent to one f end of one of said coils having means for discharging air through one of the faces of said cabinet transverse to said opposite faces, and a partition wall extending from said one face between said blowers and the other ofy said coils to divide the interior of the cabinet into a room air compartment and an outdoor air compartment.

2. A compact air conditioning unit including a box shaped cabinet having outdoor and room air inlets in opposite faces of the cabinet, an outdoor coil located in series with and adjacent to the outdoor air inlet and an indoor coil located in series with the room air inlet, a compressor and a refrigerant expansion device within said cabinet connecting said coils in operative refrigerant circuit, a set of two axially aligned centrifugal blowers located side by side substantially parallel and-adjacent to one end of one of said coils each having separate means for separately discharging air through one of the faces of said cabinet transverse to said opposite faces, a partition wall extending from said one face etween said blowers and the other of said coils to divide the interior of the cabinet into a room air compartment and an outdoor air compartment, and a drive motor for said blowers having its axis parallel and below the axis of said blowers located between said wall and said one coil.

3. A compact air conditioning unit including a box shaped cabinet having outdoor and room air inlets in opposite faces of the cabinet, an outdoor coil located in series with and adjacent to the outdoor air inlet and an indoor coill located in series with the room air inlet, a compressor and a refrigerant expansion d'eviCe within saidrcabinet connecting said coils ,in operative refrigerant circuit, a set of two axially aligned centrifugal blowers located side by side substantially parallel and adjacent to one end of one 'of said coils having means for discharging air through one of the faces of said' cabinet transverse to said opposite faces, a partition wall extending from said one face between said blowers and the other of said coils to divide the interior of thecabine-t into a room air compartment and an outdoor air compartment, and a second'set of two axially `aligned centrifugal blowers located side by side parallel to the first meutioned set of blowers but on the opposite side of said partition wall each having separate means for separately discharging air through one of the faces of said cabinet for separate delivery.

4. A compact airconditioning unit including a box shaped cabinet having outdoor and roomY air inlets in opposite side faces of the cabinet, an outdoor coil located in series with and adjacent to the outdoor air inlet and anindoor coil located in series with the room air inlet, a compressor and a refrigerant expansion device within said cabinet connecting said coils `in operative yrefrigerant circuit, a' set of two axially aligned centrifugal blowers located-.side by side ysubstantially parallel and adjacent to one end of one of said coils having means for discharging air through the top of said cabinet transverse to said opposite faces, a partition Wall extending from said one face between said blowers and the other of said coils to divide theinterior of the cabinet into a room air compartment and an outdoor air compartment, a second set of two axially aligned centrifugal blowers located side by side parallel to the iirst mentioned set of blowers but on the opposite side of said partition wall each having separate means for discharging separately air through the top of said cabinet, and drive means for said blowers having the driving axis parallel to but below the axis of said blowers.

5.v A compact air conditioning unit including a box shaped cabinet having outdoor and room air inlets on opposite sides thereof, an outdoor air coil located in series with and adjacent to the outdoor air inlet and parallel to the opposite faces of the cabinet,an indoor coil located in series with the room air inlet, a compressor yand a refrigerant expansion device within said cabinet connecting said coils in operative refrigerant circuit, a first set of two axially aligned centrifugal blowers located side by side substantially parallel and adjacent to the upper end of the outdoor coil and the top face of the cabinet for drawing air through the outdoor coil, a second set of two axially aligned centrifugal blowers located side by side substantially parallel to said rst set and said indoor coil `and at a lower level than said irst set and being partially overlapped in a horizontal plane of projection by said lirst set, said second set of blowers each having separate means for separately discharging the air, and a partition wall extending between said blowers and said coils within the cabinet for dividing the outdoor air from the room air within the cabinet.

6. A compact air conditioning unit including a box shaped cabinet having outdoor and room air inlets on opposite sides thereof, an outdoor air coil located in series with and adjacent to the outdoor air inlet and parallel to the opposite faces of the cabinet, an indoor coil located in series with the room air inlet, a cornpressor and a refrigerant expansion device within said cabinet connecting said coils in operative refrigerant circuit, a first set of` two axially aligned centrifugal blowers located side by side substantially parallel and adjacent to the upper end of the outdoor coil and the top face of the cabinet for drawing air through the outdoor coil,

a second set of two axially aligned centrifugal. blowers located side by side substantially parallel to said lirst set and said indoor coil and at a lower level than said iirst set and being partially overlapped in a horizontal plane of projection by said lirst set, said second set of blowers each having-separate means for separately discharging the air, a partition wall extending between said blowers and said coils within the cabinet for dividing the outdoor air from the room air within the cabinet, and a drive motor located beneath and parallel to said first set of fans for driving said fans, said drive motor being located between said outdoor coil and said partition Wall. 7. A compact air conditioning unit including a box shaped cabinet having outdoor and room air inlets on opposite sides thereof, an outdoor air coil located in series with and adjacent to the outdoor air inlet and parallel to the opposite faces of the cabinet, an indoor coil located in series with the room air inlet, a compressor and a refrigerant expansion device within said cabinet connecting said coils in operative refrigerant circuit, a first set two axially aligned centrifugal blowers located side by side substantially parallel and adjacent to the upper end of the outdoor coil and the top face of the cabinet for drawing air through the outdoor coil, a second set of two axially aligned centrifugal blowers located side by side substantially parallel to said first set and said indoor coil and at a lower level than said first set and being partially overlapped by said first set, and a partition wall extending between said blowers and said coils within the cabinet for dividing the outdoor air from the room air within the cabinet, the top of said indoor coil being spaced below the upper face of said cabinet, and a control box located above said indoor coil for controlling the refrigerating system and said blowers.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,071,366 Weiland Feb. 23, 1937 2,130,327 Galson Sept. 13, 1938 2,131,355 Neeson Sept. 27, 1938 2,167,380 Whitlock July 23, 1939 2,708,561 Ehlke May 17, 1955 2,714,394 Moran Aug. 2, 1955 2,765,628 Anthony Oct. 9, 1956 2,768,506 Cain Oct. 30, 1956 

